The present invention is directed to a screw connector for earth-moving equipment and the like adapted to secure components of the equipment to each other with a screw-nut connection that remains operable in environments involving earth, dirt, abrasives and the like.
Earth-moving equipment, such as power-driven shovels, loaders, scoops, dippers and the like, typically has a bucket, the earth-digging front end of which is normally defined by a generally U-shaped heavy-duty lip that is suitably fastened to the bucket. The lip includes a plurality of digging teeth which project from a front edge of the lip as well as wear plates which line interior surfaces of the lip to protect it from being worn down by earth, coal and the like into which the lip is pushed during earth-moving maneuvers. The teeth mounted to the lip are subject to much wear and require frequent replacement. To accommodate such replacements without requiring undue labor, the teeth are typically removably attached to an adaptor which in turn is secured to the lip.
In the past, wear plates lining the inside of the lip were welded onto the lip so as to not obstruct the rearward movement of earth and the like over the lip into the bucket while preventing the lip per se from being worn down by earth moving across it. Replacing welded-on wear plates from the lip is labor-intensive. First, the welds securing the plates to the lip must be removed and ground down so that a new wear plate can be installed. Next, the plates must be positioned on the lip and then welded onto the lip to securely mount them thereon. This task has to be repeated each time a wear plate must be replaced.